Locally Grown Produce

Tobias Gardens

Produce Department. Hermosa, SD

In 2015 Richard and Janet Nelson, two retirees in their seventies, started a small scale market-garden in their backyard. This was no small endeavor; they fenced off a section of land, worked the soil, testing, tilling and amending it. They knew they didn’t want want to spend their entire retirement in the business of gardening, and hoped to eventually find a young family to work with. This collaboration happened sooner than they originally thought it would as Matt and Deidre Dealy came to the garden in November of 2016. They had spent the past two years working on a small farm in Southeast Utah near Moab, and were looking about the countryside for a farm that they could call their own. The Nelsons and the Dealys decided that a partnership between them would work great, so the Dealys joined the Tobias Garden family.

Tobias Garden takes great pride in producing the highest quality of produce available! The harvest to delivery window is very small, often times the same day. This ensures optimal flavor, nutrition and shelf life in the final product. Their gardening methods are similar to those that you would find in a home garden. They use small hand tools to plant, cultivate and harvest. Once their food is in the ground they do not use any chemical fertilizers, but instead focus on the health and fertility of their soil overall. Additionally, they do not use chemical pesticides to control insect damage on crops. Instead, they use physical barriers, such as floating row covers to minimize damage. Their weed management plans include manual removal, weed burning and ground cover rather that using herbicides. The bottom line is that their produce is clean and chemical-free, just the way it should be.

Getting everything ready!

Dealys enjoying the fruits of their labors

Radish bunches

Cedar Creek Gardens

Produce Department. Midland, SD

Cedar Creek is co-owned by Bud Manke and Peggy Martin. Their chickens roam freely on their 12 acres, and they once found an egg on the motor of an employee’s motorhome! Their use of healthy crop rotation, spring fed wells for irrigation, and carefully selected, great tasting, produce varieties that grow well in our South Dakota soil ensure they positively contribute to the health and well-being of our community.

Rocky Ridge Gardens

Produce Department. Rapid City, SD

If you’re at Breadroot Co-op in the autumn, you can’t help but see the bountiful harvest from Rocky Ridge Gardens. From traditionally commercial squashes like spaghetti and butternut to varieties that might just only be available from their farm, Carlton Peterson’s dedication to high quality and abundant choice of products make us excited for fall!

Rusty Bucket

Produce Department. Rozet, WY

If you’ve purchased sprouts or microgreens at Breadroot, it’s likely they are from Rusty Bucket. Microgreens are the baby version of vegetables often harvested within 14 days of germination. Because Rusty Bucket has a greenhouse, their sprouts and microgreens are available year round!